Barcelona pt 2

I was going to go to Barcelona Zoo but red a lot of really bad reviews and also saw that they have a dolphin and seal show and felt that I don't want to support that, I don't really think that Zoo's should have animal shows - it's not a circus but should try and show animals in their natural habitat so I skipped that and walked up to the old castle on Mountjuic instead which is surrounded by beautiful parks and has a great view of the city and chilled out under a orange tree.

People were very generous and friendly and I definitely have to go back soon again. What is interesting and inspiring with this city as well is that even though Barcelona is going through a tuff time with high unemployment and a heavy hitting financial crisis the city is still bubbling with innovation and creativity and there's a lot of small creative businesses making glasses out of old skate boards, environmentally friendly wallpapers, shoes, bags etc etc. And we are not taking about greedy, evil corporations who doesn't even pay their staff a living wage - instead these small companies struggling in a very tuff economic climate pay their staff fair and good wages, celebrate things that are hand made, recycled and organic and is not ruining our planet, way to go Barcelona!

I will be back.


PS The white bottle in the right side corner is a bottle of Sangria from Casa Lolea in Born, this Sangria is made with apple and elderflower and is definitely worth a try.

Barcelona pt 1

I needed a little break from London and took off to Barcelona for a week and just came back and is sitting with my morning coffee in my tiny London room wishing I instead was in some beautiful plaza with a cortado back in BCN, and the fact that the sky is grey and it will rain all day doesn't help. I really like Barcelona, its a very laid-back and friendly city and I can imagine it being great to travel to with children as well and there are so many air lines that fly out there that if you plan your trip it doesn't have to cost much at all.

I started every morning with a cortado on various beautiful plazas before grabbing a bike and cycling down to the beach for a morning swim and a few pages of a new spy thriller that I started. Barcelona beach is quite long, if you avoid the beginning of it and keep walking you get less tourists, more space and a nicer beach with less stones and clearer water. I am addicted to tetra pack gaspacho, there is a brand that makes a really delicious one, its not cheap but cheaper then eating tapas in some bar and very delicious so I have to confess that I have had gaspacho on the beach for lunch every day before cycling back in to Born and Gothic, cooling down with a ice cappucino in the shade.

This city has it all, there is culture, architecture and art as well as great food & drinks, shopping, the ocean, the beach and great parks & nature. My camera is unfortunately broken but here are some pics from my holiday taken with my phone, I had to stop taking photos of beautiful balconies as they are every where.